"Hey Nick, did you see Porty's daughter?" Asked Darren Wilkinson who was twenty year old Nicholas Taylor's best buddy in the whole world.

"She's as ugly as him," said Darren's on and off girlfriend, Kendall Millerton who was also in the same batch as them.

"I'm not interested Darren. He hates me and I stay as far away from him as possible, " said Nicholas Taylor or Nick as he prefers to be called.

"Actually none of us are interested in Porty," said Ken Franklin another friend from their group. Porty was their professor Eric Davenport who was a strict, no-nonsense, middle aged, scary looking Professor who scared the shit out of his students. He was the Senior Associate Dean, Faculty Affairs Cullen Distinguished Chair and Professor of Finance at the Bauer College of Business under the University of Houston where they all studied. Nick and his friends were into their second year of the undergraduate program in Financial Management in the very same college and therefore were under Porty's nose everyday.

"Don't repeat his name, even walls have ears. If he gets to know his nickname we're doomed for life," said Martin Blake another friend of theirs. His girlfriend Samantha Davis stood beside him and giggled.

"Good morning students. Why are you loitering around here when your lecture starts in ten minutes?" Boomed the loud voice of none other than Porty about whom they had been discussing in the corridor outside their classroom.

Ken bumped into Nick out of fright while Kendall hid behind Darren. Samantha turned around to face the noticeboard on the wall behind her while Martin stood like he'd seen a ghost. Porty stared at Nick directing all his hatred towards him.

"We were just going inside, sir," he said bravely, looking Porty in the eye.

"Come on then. I'm waiting," ordered Professor Davenport. They all went inside the class and occupied their seats. Nick watched all the filled up seats with dismay. There were no empty seats in the last row where he always sat. Wasn't Porty's class overfull today? There were only two seats available, one beside farty Bill where it was impossible to survive with his continuous fart bombshells and the other one beside some new girl. He opted for the latter and approached her, looking at her with interest. The girl had long chocolate brown hair which although tied up in a ponytail, looked very silky and beautiful. He sat down beside her and she turned to look up at him. He was lost in their chocolate brown depths.

"Hi," he said, sitting down beside her. She scooted far away near the wall as if stung by him! Nick watched her with curiosity. Why was she wearing such a dull and sack-like grandpa tee shirt and such a loose pair of denims? Didn't she possess clothes of her own?

She sat looking ahead of her, completely ignoring his very existence. Nick felt a strange sense of excitement as he watched her. Why was she not falling for him already? Why was she not counting her lucky stars that the sinfully gorgeous and the most popular guy on campus is sitting beside her?

As he watched her, he found her actually very beautiful. Although the clothes she wore didn't suit her at all, yet she was more beautiful than most girls in college. He saw the rest of the girls watching her and giggling away, making crude jokes amongst themselves. However the girl was least affected by it all. She sat like a princess, with a quiet aura emanating from her.

"You didn't tell me your name?" Nick asked softly.

"Not necessary," she said in a sweet melodious voice which Nick wanted to hear more.

"Oh it is. We're classmates after all. I'm Nick Taylor, " Nick introduced himself.

Before she could answer, Porty walked into the class glaring at Nick right from the door! Nick rolled his eyes. Now what did he do? Why did he hate Nick so much?

"Nicholas Edmond Taylor, swap seats with Teresa Browning, right now, " yelled a pissed off Porty. Nick and Teresa shared a look of dismay.

"I'm fine where I am, sir," said Nick, glued to his seat. What was wrong with the old man? Why did he need to change his seat?

"I'm not. You change your seat or else I would have to ban you from my classes," threatened Porty.

"I'm not talking to him as it is. Please start teaching," said the girl beside him. Nick blinked ten times with disbelief. Did the girl really talk to Porty in that manner? Interesting! And he thought he was the only one who had the guts to answer Porty in the whole world!

"No Iris, you get up from there and sit with anyone else in the class," insisted Porty. Nick inwardly saluted Porty for informing him the girl's name. Iris, wow, Iris! He loved it.

"Dad, I'm fine. Please can you teach," she pleaded and the whole class gaped at her. Nick who was repeating Iris's name in his mind, nearly fell from his seat with shock. Iris was Porty's daughter? How could someone like him have such a hot daughter? His sperm could only produce another Porty.

Ted Harvey, who sat across the aisle, pulled him up to his seat. Porty rolled his eyes at the melodrama unfolding before his eyes. "Settle down everyone and let's get started with today's lecture. Today we will start a new topic on corporate finance, financing investments and managing risk. But before that, let's recapitulate what we did in the last lecture," said Porty with a smirk as the whole class groaned.

"So, Nicholas Taylor, tell me how to finance a business acquisition?" Asked Porty with a smile as Nick stood with a groan.

"That's no big deal sir. My dad will do it without me asking him, " he said with a shrug. The whole class burst into laughter.

"Quiet everyone. Nicholas when will you start studying? Your dad won't save your lazy ass all the time. Grow up now, you're twenty already," advised Porty, showing his displeasure.

"Don't worry sir, I'll figure it all out," said Nick with a shrug.

"Yes, Ted, you answer my question, " asked Porty.

"I've got a migraine coming on sir. I can't think," said Ted holding onto his head.

"Are you sure it's not a hangover?" Asked Porty with a glare. "Well, Ken, you tell me," he asked. There was a pin drop silence in the class room. Ken kept sitting on the last seat at the back oblivious that he was being spoken to. Porty walked upto him and stood beside him, watching him as he played a video game on his mobile on silent mode.

"Great, you won it. Now answer my question," he bellowed suddenly and the mobile phone fell from Ken's hands out of shock.

"S s sir, what question?" Asked a stammering Ken. Porty rolled his eyes.

"Forget it. Now Teresa, you tell me the answer," he walked back to his seat.

"I'll never acquire any business sir. So I don't need to know," said Teresa.

"Is there anyone in this class who knows the answer to my question?" Asked a pissed off Porty.

"I can," said Iris.

"Go ahead, Iris, " said professor Davenport with a sigh.

"There's more than one way to fund an acquisition than simply tapping company funds. In fact there are many acquisition funding options and methods.The right business acquisition finance depends on your business, the business being acquired, and where both are in their cycle. In order to acquire another company, the buy-side must review different business acquisition financing options like Company Funds, Company Equity, Earnout, Leveraged Buyout, Bank Loan, SBA Loan, Asset-Backed Loan, Issuing Bonds, Third-Party Financing, Joint Venture," answered Iris while everyone watched her with their jaws dropped.

"Amazing, " clapped Nick with awe as Porty glared at him.

"That's enough Iris," said Porty still glaring at Nick.

"Do you guys talk finance at home all the time?" Whispered Nick and Iris scoffed at him.

"I heard you Nicholas Taylor. Meet me after class," yelled Porty and Nicholas looked at father and daughter with amazement. How did Porty hear him whisper to his daughter?

The rest of the two classes, Porty started the new topic, some dozed off, some played with their mobile phones on their laps, others day dreamed about their crushes in class, while Nick watched Iris with interest.

"Mr Nicholas Taylor, eyes on me," yelled Porty and Nick groaned.

"Kill me already sir," he mumbled and Iris controlled a smile trying to break free.

"So where were we?" Continued Porty explaining more topics on corporate finance. Nick watched his big tummy and his spectacles that kept falling down his nose as he spoke, thinking what type of life Iris led with him. But what he couldn't understand was why she wore her dad's clothes? He again watched her serious face as she listened to her dad intently. She couldn't have any boyfriend with such a dad.

"Nicholas Taylor, " yelled Porty and he groaned. Not again!

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